Increase System Confidence and Lower Cost with PeopleSoft Test Framework 2.0

One of the significant benefits of PeopleSoft Test Framework (PTF) is consistency. Once a test runs successfully, it will always run successfully until there is a configuration change. It is easy to change the data values to create different test cases for the same basic test; this creates great flexibility with minimum cost.
Since the PTF output reports can identify update issues, the pre-update tests will not have to be run again after all PUM update issues are addressed. PTF reports identify PUM changes that affect test objects. In addition, PTF reports identify PUM changes not covered by PeopleSoft test objects. PTF provides organizations with confidence that regression tests identify anomalies at a lower cost than traditional testing.
When you develop PTF tests, you expect that each time you run the exact same test, it will run successfully. When you consider deploying PTF, your organization will want you to demonstrate that PTF is reliable and cost effective before committing resources to fully develop PTF scripts. The remainder of this blog will help you prepare to demonstrate PTF features and build confidence with the PTF process.

My Experience

When I first started to learn about PTF, one of my greatest frustrations was that a test would run successfully the first time and then fail in subsequent runs. It took me a while to learn how to construct tests so they would consistently run to success. The usual reasons for failure were unique constraint issues; here’s how I could have avoided these errors:

  • Put PTF in the “Debug” mode. There are two options: turn off Save, turn off Process, or turn off both options.
  • Run a complete end to end process that will create new values.
  • Create a formula that will always create a new value.
  • Create a new test case with new values.

PTF in the “Debug” Mode

Go to Execution Options, then Debugging, then set Skip PageSave and/or Skip RunRequest equal to Yes to turn off either or both, then click Accept in the upper right to save your selections.
Now you can run the same process over and over again without initiating a unique constraint error. Quite a timesaver once you know this little trick.
To provide you with an example, say you want to test updating an employee’s employment record which would have the same effective date each time you run the test. Set Skip PageSave to Yes when you run the test. The save will not take place at the end of the test script, which allows the script to be debugged without having to potentially change the data for each test.

End-to-End Processing

Whenever you want to test a “downstream” process such as posting an AP Voucher, you need to know what voucherID to post. If you create an end-to-end process, you will always know the voucherID because you will use a persistent variable to identify the voucherID in the script.
Using Formulas
Let’s take another look at the above voucher example. “Voucher save” will fail if it does not pass duplicate checking—usually a combination of the same vendor, date, amount, and invoiceID. If a formula is used for invoiceID that creates a unique invoice number, then the process would save the voucher every time it’s run.

The issue: a unique invoice number must be used for each test.

The solution: Invoice ID = the 12 right characters of the following PTF formula
right(concat(year(date())|month(date())|day(date()|hour(time())|minute(time())|second(time()))|12)

The issue: a US federal ID requires a unique SSN/FEIN. A similar formula provides a solution.

The solution: FEIN = the 9 right characters of the following PTF formula.
right(concat(year(date())|month(date())|day(date()|hour(time())|minute(time())|second(time()))|9)

Create a New Test Case with New Values

There are several ways to create a new test case. It can be created manually by doing a “Save As” on an existing test case (usually DEFAULT) or by exporting the existing test case to Excel where you can make the changes, and then import a new test case from Excel.

Consistency is one way to increase your organization’s confidence in PeopleSoft Test Framework. It is a key factor in presenting PTF as a positive value proposition.
Investigate how PTF can increase your confidence in your PeopleSoft system and lower your lifecycle costs.

Additional Resources

Thank you for reading this blog; visit additional Sierra-Cedar blogs to learn how to realize more value from your Oracle-PeopleSoft system. Contact Sierra-Cedar for a meeting on how to get more out of PTF in your organization.